Jonathan Jupiter
Declined to be interviewed.
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Saereen Qureshi
Why are you running for VP Campaigns and Advocacy?
With my second year here at York, I’m already involved. Even in first year I was a student representative; I got an award for that, I’m very involved in the community at York. There are so many clubs I have been involved in, it’s hard to keep track. I feel like York is more about spirit than anything else and academics as well. When it came to even the position of VP campaigns and advocacy, I already had experience before coming to York as well. As far as advocacy, I also have leadership and advocacy training so I’d like to get involved and advocate for people.
What are some of the campaigns and issues you would advocate for? What is your main platform?
I want to make the library more accessible for people who have learning disabilities. I would definitely like to start a Twitter group, where people can tweet about cultural events that are happening in their communities ad increase awareness about community events. We have people from all over the world, especially international students, whom I want to make feel at home here at York. I believe the religious centre needs renovations such as additional space and soundproofing.
What experience do you have in student politics?
I’m very involved with the Liberal party and I know Justin Trudeau. I’m also trying to get Justin down [to campus].
How will you be different from the other candidates?
My focus is students. I think the students deserve a lot more. There is so much they don’t know about awareness, the accountabilities, the transparencies that we’re talking about [at YFS]. It doesn’t make any sense; students are not aware of the events going on. Some people don’t know about the features at the library such as printing. I would definitely advocate for more awareness, having more tools to succeed. And [more awareness of] the religious centre, a place where you [can] de-stress.
How will you bring awareness to these issues?
It’s important we table and poster. Maybe hand out leaflets, offer incentives [such as] having food there, plan a party that involves everybody so everyone feels welcome. I’m very open-minded. I would like to welcome everybody to my circle.
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Pamini Rasalingam
Why did you decide to run?
My education background is in human rights, equity studies, and gender studies. Just by being at York for five years, I’ve noticed there can be more services dedicated to things like safety, accessibility, and accommodation for people who are from multi-faith communities.
What is your main platform?
I will be focusing on safety, more effective lighting in ground areas where students and different colleges, more cameras, more security, more student discussions about sexual assault. I want to look at proactive ways that you can prevent things before it takes place such as sexual assault.
What are things we can do to prevent violence, where we can support one another, what are some of the ways we can come together to voice our concerns?
Having more services for people with disabilities [is a concern]. Sometimes elevators aren’t working. I’m so lucky I’m able to climb stairs. How are they effective and really working and are they fitting the needs that they’re meant for? I feel like we can [measure] how effective are they and are they working [or not].
Our slate is YU Red. Our main platform is transparency, community, and academics. In terms of transparency, we’re trying to make more awareness for students so they know what’s going on in the student union, knowing where their money is going, and making sure students are getting their full money’s worth for the services they would like to see. In terms of community, I think we can work on having more spirit in our school, which would create more clubs. I feel like we can build more.
Lastly, for academics, I think there can be more academic advising that would be suitable to all students. There’s a lack of services for students who are new to the school and who are new to multi-faith communities, which doesn’t address their issues and concerns during exam time or during the time they are not able to come to school because of religious reasons.
Services for international students, they pay double the tuition fees. There are not much services for them and as a slate that’s what we can bring.
What makes you different from the other candidates?
I feel like I’m really passionate and I feel like I’m a good listener and I’m able to connect with people on an individual basis. I’m passionate about giving back to York and I’m well of aware of what’s working and what’s not. Coming from a human rights background, I’m able to understand it and work on that.
Why do you deserve students’ votes?
I think students should vote for me because I feel like people should always be given a choice in terms of who students want to represent them. I feel like I will be able to bring change. I’m confident and I believe in every student who walks on this campus. I’m a student myself and I’ll be able to understand where students are coming from.
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Muhammad Nouman Amjad Bhatti
Why are you running for vice-president operations?
I have decided to run for VP Operations because as a student I want to be involved with our university and I have for my whole life been involved with the schools I went to.
Specifically for VP operations, I am a student of accounting and finance, and I’ve worked with many accounting firms within my internships. In my previous school, I was the finance head for the school, I’ve also been doing jobs as cashiers.
What was your experience dealing with finances and do you have any experience with student politics or anything in that kind of realm?
Not specifically at York but in my previous schools. I ran for two posts at the same time, one was the managing head for the school, and finance head for the school. I won both positions with majority of the votes. I was in the debates for many years in Urdu, and that’s why people knew me there, and that’s how I won. In Canada, I have worked at the York campus bookstore as a communication coordinator, and as security. For frosh week, I was a volunteer and worked as a frosh boss.
What is your main platform?
One of the things I’d change [is transparency]. The YFS should publicly show their financial statements, and that’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to clarify anything that needs clarification. I am going to publicize the financial statements, and I will be accountable. I will make it clear every club receives funding and increase club funding.
Also, I’d like to donate half of my pay for this position to increase the YFS budget.
I’ll decrease the fees for domestic and international students, but especially [those of] international students because our fees are so much higher than domestic students.
What makes you different from the other candidates?
What makes me different? I’m not going to say what makes me different. I’ll say the capabilities I have, is I have experience working with accounting and finance departments. I am a person that if responsibility is given to me, I’ll fill it with my whole heart, and I’m going to be doing it very clearly and I’ll be accountable for every penny of YFS, so it can be used for our benefits. It’s not for me, I would be doing the things specifically for the benefits of the students of York.
The students decided to be here for four years of their life, so I’ll make their experience here so [great] they remember it as “I came to York University and I’m not going to regret it my whole life.”
How would you increase club funding?
Instead of spending money on concerts and things that are not beneficial for our students, I’m gonna decrease that cost and increase the funding for the clubs. As I told you, I’d be more than happy to give half my salary to increase funding.
You know that the Canadian Federation of Students is behind [many] federations of students? My main objective is in that case, because $2 million of our money goes to CFS, I’m going to defederate from CFS so that we can use [that money for clubs].
How did you find out that they spend 2/3 of their money on CFS?
I found out from my president as well as from the internet. I got information from the CFS website. Our students pay that amount. I understand that they are providing services but in the end that money should be in our pocket, not CFS’s pocket.
Why do you deserve students’ votes?
I think I’m the one who can decrease their problems in relation to the university. They should know where their money is going, and should be able to hold every member of YFS and in the administration accountable because we are the students, we are the reason York University is operating. I’m different, I won’t be the person that promises things and that doesn’t follow through on them. After the elections, I’m going be the same person and do the things I’ve told you. That’s why students should vote for me.
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VP Campus Life
No candidate for YU Red.
